Women aged 25 to 44 with family responsibilities and low educational level: the profile of prostitution in the Balearic Islands

PalmWomen between 25 and 44 years old, with low levels of education and family responsibilities. This is the predominant profile of prostitution in the Balearic Islands, according to a statement released Monday by Doctors of the World to raise awareness of the situation of women in prostitution on the occasion of November 25th – International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The organization has assisted 1,215 prostitutes throughout 2025. "Prostitution is one of the most serious forms of gender-based violence and has profound consequences for the physical, sexual, and mental health of those who suffer it. It is a public health problem of epidemic proportions that demands the active involvement of healthcare systems," the statement reads. Doctors of the World warns of the impact that prostitution has "on the mental health" of the women who engage in it. "Among the most frequent consequences are depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep and eating problems, alcohol and other drug use, as well as self-harm and suicide attempts," the organization states. In the area of sexual and reproductive health, "unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy complications, miscarriages, hemorrhaging, chronic pelvic infections, and painful intercourse are common." According to the organization's data in the Canary Islands, most of these women are foreign nationals, from countries such as Colombia, Venezuela, and Paraguay. Many of them come from contexts of structural poverty or conflict zones. Furthermore, a high percentage are undocumented in the islands. This irregular status "limits their access to basic rights and essential public services, including healthcare." Thus, "it increases their vulnerability and dependence on exploitation networks." Doctors of the World also warns that, in recent years, there has been an increase in "the turnover of women in prostitution spaces due to the constant demand for sexual services." This prevents "their integration into society and hinders continuity of care," the statement notes. Doctors of the World considers prostitution "a form of gender-based violence and a manifestation of structural inequality inseparable from human trafficking for sexual exploitation." "This violence would not be possible without those who perpetrate and sustain it: the pimps, who profit by exploiting women, and the clients, whose demand fuels and perpetuates the prostitution system. Both are aggressors who contribute directly to the violation of women's rights, dignity, and freedom," the statement concludes.